32 nd International Training Course in Regional Development The United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) conducted the 32 nd International Training Course in Regional Development (ITC) in Nagoya from 13 May to 23 June 2004. The ITC is UNCRD s flagship programme and the 32 nd course was attended by eleven mid-level professionals from central and local governments in eleven countries (Cambodia, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam) with support from the Regional Network of Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlements (CityNet) and Nagoya Port Authority. With the completion of the ITC 32, the total number of alumni rose to 861 from the seventy-one countries. The cumulative total number (percentage) of participants from South-eastern Asia, South-central Asia and Eastern Asia are 279 (32.4%), 250 (29.0%), and 130 (15.1%) respectively. Asian countries have been dominant among participants of the ITCs. Figure 1: ITC Alumni by Region (1972-2004) 5.0% 2.2% 10.6% 29.0% 5.7% 15.1% 32.4% Total 861 The goal of ITC 32 was to contribute to capacity-building for regional development, with a special focus on the ability to deal with human security and environment issues. To achieve this goal, the course objectives were: (a) to provide a venue for sharing and learning from country experiences; (b) to maximize learning potential by being located in Japan; and (c) to increase awareness on environment and human security issues. The course has been continually updated and redesigned to reflect contemporary issues and problems as well as training needs in developing countries. This year, under the theme of Sustainable Regional Development, the course was structured around the following six modules: Table 1: Module Structure Particulars Orientation Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5 Module 6 Special Session Total Overview Living Environment Environmental Management Disaster Mitigation Human Security Synthesis No. of Days 3.0 4.0 7.0 4.0 3.0 6.0 3.5 1.0 day 31.5 The participants had an opportunity to present their country cases in the context of the respective relevant module. Their presentations were important inputs and regarded as an integral part of each module programme. As resource persons, not only UNCRD staff, but also scholars, experts from local governments, and NGO representatives as well as the participants themselves actively participated and shared ideas and experiences for the benefit of all. Eastern Asia South-central Asia Oceania Latin America & the Caribbean South-eastern Asia Western Asia Africa ------------------------------------------------------------------- Orientation Orientation provided necessary guidance and information for participants to live comfortably and concentrate on the training programme during their six weeks stay in Japan. They also learned basic Japanese language and the history, culture, customs and lifestyle of Japan to deepen their understanding of the 1
country and its people. This helped them to better learn from Japanese regional development experiences. Nagoya Port Authority Calligraphy with UNCRD Volunteers Module 1: Overview Through lectures and discussion during Module 1, initiated by the Director s session on Sustainable Regional Development, participants deepened their understanding of Sustainable Development, in particular, in the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and important UN agenda. They also shared with each other their respective government s key approaches and strategies from the viewpoint of sustainability and gained useful exposure to local governments challenges and efforts to promote sustainable regional development from Aichi Prefectural Government, Nagoya City Government, and Nagoya Port Authority. Module 2: Living Environment In Module 2, starting with the sessions on Living Environment and Housing Policy, participants visited Arimatsu in Nagoya City, Hachiman in Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture, Kozoji New Town in Kasugai City, Aichi Pref., and Setagaya City in Tokyo in order to analyse Living Environment from the perspectives of safety, health, convenience, amenity, and sustainability in comparison with participants home countries. Kozoji New Town is a case of a newly developed town while Setagaya City is trying to improve its existing old, wooden, and crowded dwelling area. Arimatsu (Urban area) and Hachiman (Rural area) are building the sustainable living environment based on their local resources and historical townscapes. These field visits enabled participants to compare four different types of development in Japan and also gain a useful exposure to Japan s participatory Machi-Zukuri experiences in each area. The importance of citizen participation was clearly communicated to participants through the exchanges with local Machi-Zukuri associations. Aichi Prefectural Government Hachiman, Gujo City, Gifu Pref. 2
Kozoji New Town, Kasugai City, Aichi Pref. Toyota Motor Corporation Setagaya City, Tokyo Inokoshi Incineration Plant, Nagoya City Module 3: Environmental Management Module 3 dealt with Environmental Management with a special focus on sustainable production and consumption (SP&C) and environmentally sustainable transport (EST). Through lecture session, field visits, and group discussion, participants deepened their understanding of concepts and various aspects of SP&C and EST. They also obtained practical insights from the initiatives and policy measures taken by Nagoya City for solid waste management, waste reduction and recycling of resources as well as Toyota Motor Corporation for cleaner production and EST. The field visits to Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Transportation Research Institute (TTRI) as well as Inokoshi Incineration Plant in Nagoya City and Aigi Landfill Site in Tajimi City, Gifu Pref. were inspiring for participants due to their innovative ideas and technology. Aigi Landfill Site, Tajimi City, Gifu Pref. 3
Module 4: Disaster Mitigation In Module 4 Disaster Mitigation, participants visited Hyogo Prefecture Disaster Management Bureau, Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution (DRI), Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC), Kobe Field Studio (CEO/Kobe University), and Maiko High School to learn from the experiences and lessons of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake which hit Kobe City in 1995. In addition, a representative of Citizens toward Overseas Disaster Emergency (CODE) showed participants around the post-quake redevelopment site in Nagata Ward when they visited Kobe Field Studio. Through these field visits, participants were impressed with not only the rapid recovery progress from the earthquake but also the preparedness against natural disasters. They had fruitful exchanges and discussions with students when they visited Maiko Senior High School in Kobe City which is the first high school ever to establish a Department of Environment and Disaster Management within its curriculum. Hyogo Prefecture Disaster Management Bureau Maiko High School, Kobe City Module 5: Human Security This year, Module 5 incorporated themes of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Community-driven Development (CDD) into Human Security, both of which used to be separately handled in an independent module, and extended its module period from three to six. This Module introduced the concept of Human Security and its application in regional development planning and implementation. In the group exercise, participants learned to identify people at risk in their respective jurisdictions through vulnerability analysis. As for field visits they visited Homi Housing Complex in Toyota City, Aichi Pref., a homeless shelter in Nagoya City, and Wappa-no-kai, also in Nagoya City, which is a cooperative for the challenged. Through lectures, field visits, and group exercises, they were able to enhance their awareness on human security issues and recognize the necessity of addressing human security concerns arising from migration, involuntary resettlement, conflict, and globalization. Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution (DRI), Kobe City Homi Housing Complex, Toyota City, Aichi Pref. 4
Group Discussion at UNCRD Formulation of Action Plans at UNCRD Panel Discussion at UNCRD Action Plan Presentation at UNCRD ------------------------------------------------------------------- Module 6: Synthesis Lastly in Module 6, as a major output of the course, the participants formulated individual action plans which could be absorbed into their professional activities to be carried out in order to solve development issues and problems in their respective countries. They also assimilated and digested what they had learned from the training course through this process of formulating action plans. At the end, participants were given an opportunity to make a presentation of their action plans and modify them to reflect comments and suggestions received from fellow participants and UNCRD staff in a question and answer session. Action Plans titles included Community-based Learning and Action Process for Ger Area Improvement in Mongolia, Capacity Building for Human Security into Local Development for Lao PDR, and so on. Evaluation by Participants The overall evaluation questionnaire found that the course objectives were largely attained and participants highly evaluated the programme and content of the course, in particular UNCRD s coordination of lectures, field visits, and discussion. Compared with the questionnaire results of ITC 30 and 31, all three objectives (See page 1, column 2) were more highly evaluated than the past two training courses. In particular, Objective (c) received as high as 4.8, which indicates that participants greatly enhanced their awareness on human security and the environment. Table 2: Results of Course Evaluation Average Score ITC 30 Objective (a) Objective (b) Objective (c) * Number of respondents was 9. Average Score ITC 31 Average Score ITC 32 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.5 4.5 4.8 5
------------------------------------------------------------------- Extracts from Participants Diaries of ITC 32 Ms. Adriana Pasada from Colombia Mr. Gautam Kumar Dutta from India Through the field visit to Setagaya City, we learned the importance of involving community in the developmental process and how participation starts by knowing about the living environment with involvement of different stakeholders including residents from different generations. We also realized that Machi-Zukuri to make the living environment less vulnerable to disaster will become easier if all the stakeholders willingly get involved with activities. Mr. Brahmana Adhie from Indonesia Mr. Duncan Mugo Ndirangu from Kenya We increased our vision and awareness on various aspects of sustainable production and consumption. We also gained insights into the major achievements in the area of cleaner production. We appreciated the need for governments, international organizations, private sectors, civil society, NGOs and communities to play an active and effective role in changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns at all levels and in relevant sectors -- energy, agriculture, transport, industry, tourism and other service sectors. In conclusion there is need to delink economic growth and environmental degradation through improving efficiency and sustainability of resource utilization and production process and reducing degradation, pollution and waste. ITC 31 Follow-up Seminar in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta Special Province, Indonesia ------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement of ITC 33 ITC 33 is scheduled to be held next spring (2005) and it will continue to reflect the concept of "Sustainable Regional Development" based on the Centre's two focus areas, namely, environment and human security. The six-week course will deliver the expected outcomes through a compact programme replete with cases for study and discussion, as well as field study visits to provide insights into Japan's regional development experience. Dates: 19 May 29 June 2005 Venue: Nagoya, Japan Number of Openings: 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ITC 31 Follow-up Seminar The success of the course should not only measured by the evaluation results, but also by the extent to which participants will be able to apply and disseminate what they learned and implement their action plans. For this purpose, UNCRD has strengthened its follow-up activities and dispatched missions to technically support the implementation of action plans. In January 2004, UNCRD conducted a ITC 31 follow-up seminar on Sustainable Development of Karst Areas in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta Special Province, Indonesia, in collaboration with the Local Development Planning Board of Gunungkidul Regency. UNCRD will continue to hold this type of follow-up seminar in former participants countries in support of action-plan implementation. For further inquiries, please contact: Mr. Katsuaki Takai, Training Coordinator or Ms. Misa Matsuba, Operations Assistant E-mail: training@uncrd.or.jp Phone: (+81-52) 561-9377 Fax: (+81-52) 561-9458 Homepage: http://www.uncrd.or.jp/ 6
ITC 32 Programme at Glance L: Lecture F: Field Visit Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 10 May 11 May 12 May Arrival 16 May 17 May M1:Overview L: Sustainable Regional Development, Regional Development in Japan, and UN Agenda for Social Development and Human Security 24 May L: Citizens Participation and Living Environment F: Arimatsu, Nagoya City 31 May Reflection on Field Visits, Discussion, and Synthesis 7 June M4: Disaster Mitigation L: Disaster Mitigation F: Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) and Kobe Field Studio, Kobe City Presentation by Citizens towards Overseas Disaster Emergency(CODE) Stay in Kobe 14 June L: Impacts of Globalization on Human Security L: One-Village-One-Product Project Approach F: Wappa-no-kai, Nagoya 21 June Action Plan Presentation 18 May L: Environment in the Context of Sustainable Development Courtesy Call to Aichi Prefectural Office 25 May F: Hachiman, Gujo City, Gifu Pref. 1 June M3: Environmental Management L: Sustainable Production and Consumption 8 June F: Hyogo Prefectural Disaster Management Bureau F: Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution (DRI), Kobe City Stay in Kobe 15 June F: Toyota City Hall, Homi Housing Complex, and Homigaoka International Exchange Center, Toyota City 22 June Action Plan Presentation 19 May and Discussion F: Nagoya Port Authority 26 May F: Kozoji New Town, Kasugai City, Aichi Pref. 2 June L: Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Group Discussion 9 June F: Maiko High School, Kobe City (Move from Kobe to Nagoya) 16 June L: ICTs and Development, and E-government: Trend and Issues Panel Discussion on ICTs/e-Government 23 June Closing Evaluation Session Closing Session 13 May Orientation Welcome Remarks Briefing on ITC32 20 May Courtesy Call to Nagoya City Hall and Discussion 27 May Special Session (Move from Nagoya to Tokyo) Stay in Yokohama 3June F: Inokoshi Incineration Plant, Nagoya City F: Aigi Landfill Site, Tajimi City, Gifu Pref. 10 June M5: Human Security L: Human Security and Targeting Vulnerable in Poverty Reduction Strategy, Video Presentation Group Discussion 17 June L: Community-driven Development, and Using Culture and Social Capital for Development Group Discussion 24 June Departure 7 14 May Japan Now Nagoya City Tour 21 May M2: Living Environment L: Living Environment Improvement Discussion 28 May F: Setagaya City, Tokyo Stay in Yokohama 4 June F: Toyota Motor Corp. L: Transportation and Environment (Prof. Ohta, TTRI) 11 June L: Impacts of Involuntary Resettlement on Human Security (Prof. Oya, Nagoya Sangyo Univ.) Video Presentation Group Discussion 18 June M6: Synthesis Synthesis Preparation for Action Plan Presentation 15 May Japanese Lesson Cultural Exchange Programme 22 May 23 May 29 May F: Tokyo Metropolis (Move from Tokyo to Nagoya) 30 May 5 June 6 June (Move from Nagoya to Kobe through Kyoto) F: Kyoto 12 June 13 June 19 June 20 June 25 June 26 June 27 June Stay in Kobe
ITC 32 List of Participants Name Country Position Business Address 1 Mr. Vothana Kim Cambodia NVDP Project Director and Deputy Director for Community Development Department, Ministry of Rural Development St. 169 and Soviet Blvd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia, P.O. Box 2016 2 Ms. Adriana Posada Colombia Advisor, Administrative Department of District Planning, Bogota City Hall Cra 30 24-90, 8th floor, Bogota City Hall, Colombia 3 Mr. Gautam Kumar Dutta India Head, IP Division, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship IIE Bhawan, Lalmati, Guwahati-29 Assam, India Pin-781029 4 Mr. Brahmana Adhie Indonesia Head of Academic and Student Affairs Division, National Land Institute Jl.. Tata Bumi 5 Yogyakarta 55293, Indonesia 5 Mr. Kenji Ito Japan Engineer, Construction Department, Project Promotion Division, Nagoya Port Authority 6 Mr. Duncan Mugo Ndirangu Kenya Planning Officer I, Ministry of Local Government Irifune 1-8-21, Minato-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 455-8686, Japan Box 30004 Nairobi 00100 GPO Kenya 7 Mr. Oula Somchanmavong Lao PDR Technical Staff, Department General of Planning, Committee for Planning and Cooperation Luang Prabang Road, Vientiane Capital 01001, PO BOX 4695, Lao PDR 8 Ms. Enkhbayar Tsedendorj Mongolia Housing Expert/Project Manager, Ministry of Infrastructure 210046, Government Building-2, United Nations Street, Ulaanbaatar-46, Mongolia 9 Mr. Jyotindra Gurung Nepal Chief, Planning and Technical Department, Pokhara Sub-Metropolis New Road, Pokhara Sub-Metropolis, Nepal 10 Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Salin Sri Lanka Superintending Engineer (projects), Colombo Municipal Council Town Hall, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka 11 Ms. Kim Lien Tran Thi Viet Nam Environmental Management Expert, Department of Natural Resource and Environment 244 Dien Bien Phu St., D.3, Hochi Minh City, Viet Nam 8